The Tale of Nekokami
by GirlWonder29
Summary: OK, so this is not really a complete gender-bent retelling, it includes new names and a slightly different plotline but most of the characters are the same. (Not all characters are gender bent and some are different) Nekokami is a half Cat Demon who travels the Feudal Era with her friends Kioshi, Makoto, Hirashi, Teijin and Katsuyuki. Their adventures? You'll just have to find out!
1. Chapter 1

WARRING STATES ERA

HIKARI VILLAGE, JAPAN

UNKNOWN DATE

AROUND NOON

"Ha!"

The high, clear laugh echoed off the walls as the girl-like humanoid burst forth from out of the village.

"Demon!"

The cry was repeated on all sides as the female Bakeneko sprang over the villagers' heads to sprint towards the woods and away.

"Nice try, folks! But you're never gonna catch ME!"

She laughed gleefully again, turning her head back for an instant so she could see the stunned looks on the villager's faces.

Her thick silver hair flew back as she continued to race towards the trees.

She was almost there...just out of their line of sight, but-

"NEKOKAMI!"

WHOOSH!

Many more loud thuds later, and the cat demon was trapped in a net which was made up of what looked like blazing arrows.

"Unh!" The arrows had her pinned to the tree.

Looking up, Nekokami gasped in shock.

She seemed surprised as she realized who the person who had trapped her was.

He was a young man with black hair pulled in a topknot, brown eyes that were narrowed in anger and was wearing a priest's clothing.

He had dark blue hakama trousers, a dark sash and a white kimono on top.

He was still holding the bow in the position from which he had shot the arrows.

Nekokami continued to look stunned.

"Ki...Kichiro?...What?...I thought...thought we-"

But whatever she was going to say died in her throat.

She let out a little sigh and closed her eyes as the spell took hold.

Kichiro closed his eyes.

He looked inexplicably sorrowful.

He turned from the cat girl and slowly made his way back to his village where the others were waiting.

"Well?" One of the villagers asked, holding his staff high.

"Have you slain the demon?"

"More or less," replied Kichiro. "The spell I have used will ensure her sleep for all eternity,"

A little boy about 9 or 10 years old in a pale blue kimono ran up to Kichiro. "Brother Kichiro! Brother Kichiro!"

He called out. "Is the spell definitely everlasting?"

"Yes, Hikari," Kichiro said, watching silently as the rest of the villagers went back to the village.

When they were all gone, however, he bent down low and whispered in his brother's ear.

"...Lest the Chosen One decides whether or not to free her."

"The Chosen One, brother Kichiro?"

Hikari repeated, his brown eyes wide with wonder and curiosity.

Kichiro straightened up and gazed into the sky, his eyes fixed on something that Hikari could not see.

"The Chosen One from the Other World. He who shall make the decision that will affect the land,"

He raised his voice slightly, letting it be carried along with the wind.

"And He who will save this world from the evil that threatens it!"


	2. Chapter 2

MODERN ERA

TOKYO, JAPAN

FRIDAY, MARCH 4

8:20 A.M.

"...Save this world?" Kioshi mumbled.

He was practically half-asleep as he fell out of bed.

"Ow!"

Rubbing his head, he sighed.

It was that same dream again, the one with the weirdo guy and the bow. What were his words again?

He who shall save this world from evil that threatens it? What?

He must have watched too many cartoons again yesterday.

Shaking his head, Kioshi jumped up as he realized what day it was.

Oh, yeah!

It was his 15th birthday!

But goddammit, he had school first, and he was already late!

"AAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!"

Kioshi pulled on his black school uniform, cleaned up at top-speed and sprinted into the kitchen.

His grandparents were already sitting at the table, arguing over the daily newspaper, as usual.

His dad was wearing a cooking apron and was carrying his breakfast.

His little sister Saya wasn't there.

Unlike him, she was ALWAYS usually on time. She was probably already on her way to school.

_I'm Kioshi Higurashi. I've lived at the Higurashi Shrine since I was 6._

_I live with my grandparents, my dad, my little sister Saya and our puppy Tsuru._

_Our shrine has a lot of interesting things in it, like temples and charms and whatnot._

_It also has a small restaurant open in the summer, the Sakura Kino Restaurant._

His father barely had enough time to set down a plate of eggs on toast and a glass of milk before:

-Kioshi had gulped the whole thing down,

-grabbed his backpack from near the door,

-stuffed his feet into his light gray sneakers

...and ran out the door, yelling a quick good-bye over his shoulder as he ran.

He could already see the looks of mingled concern and shock on his school friends' faces: Ayato, Ei and Youji.

They were SO going to be on his back for this.

_Aw, geez! I'm so late!_

Kioshi thought to himself as he was racing by the temple of the Golden Spirit Pond.

_Huh?_

That's weird. His sister was apparently NOT on her way to school, and was standing in the entryway of the temple.

He stopped running and walked over to her.

"Hey, Saya! You're gonna be late for school-what are you doing?"

She turned to look at him. Saya was wearing her new green and white school uniform today.

She had her fuchsia backpack over her shoulders and was holding a bowl with dog food in it.

"Hey, y'know you're not supposed to be playing in there, right?"

"Yeah, I know. It's the dog." Saya explained, turning back around.

"You think he went down to the pond?"

They went in. The temple was small, and had a musty, dank feeling. No one ever really went in there normally.

At the bottom of the wooden stairs was a large pond ringed by stones in a shallow brick encirclement.

The pond was always covered up by a wooden covering, so Kioshi still wasn't sure whether there was actually any water left in the so-called "sacred" pond.

"Tsuru!" Saya called out softly, her voice echoing eerily. There was no reply.

"I just don't know where else he could be." Saya shrugged.

"So go down," Kioshi suggested.

"But why do I gotta be the one?" Saya protested.

"Because YOU'RE the one that's looking for him," Kioshi stared hard at the pond.

Suddenly, they heard splashing noises coming behind the wooden covering.

"Ah!" Saya freaked out and ran behind Kioshi. "Something's down there!"

"Um, yeah. It's the dog." Kioshi sighed. They obviously both weren't gonna get to school early at this rate.

Besides, the dumb dog might have hurt himself.

So before he knew it, he was climbing down the stairs. On the last step, however, he stopped.

_That sound...from inside the pond-_

CRACK! Something brushed against his leg. "Yaah!"

"Aaah!" Saya scrambled back as Kioshi freaked out.

He looked down to see a small brown dog nuzzling his leg.

"Tsuru!" Saya exclaimed in obvious relief. "You're OK!"

Then she turned indignantly to Kioshi. "Ha! And you tease ME for being scared, when you're all like "Yaah!"", She said, mimicking him in a whiny, mocking voice.

"Huh! You should talk, Miss "Why do I gotta be the one"!"

Kioshi picked up Tsuru in his arms carefully, secretly glad the dog was safe.

Suddenly, there was a blast as the pond covering blew off.

_BOOM!_

Something grabbed Kioshi and dragged him backwards into the well. Fortunately in the struggle, he let go of Tsuru, who bounded safely towards Saya. His last sight before he disappeared down into the pond entirely was of Saya's terrified face as she watched him get pulled over.


	3. Chapter 3

They were falling into eternal coldness, full of the darkness of space and the void.

_"Finally, I've found you, the Chosen One!"_

Kioshi struggled and looked up into the face of whatever was holding him.

He nearly screamed his head off.

It was a monster that video games could be proud of, a huge mutant humanoid centipede with countless spindly legs and arms and the horrible blank face of a human with bulging eyes.

"_Chosen One, Chosen One!_" it hissed repeatedly. "_Now I shall make myself powerful as once before!_"

To Kioshi's horror, its many bony limbs grew thicker and gained flesh until the centipede monster looked even more powerful than it had in the first place.

The monster pulled his face close to its own. As Kioshi struggled to get free, it asked its first question.

"_You have it, don't you? You know where it is! The Sacred Jewel!_"

"Jewel of what? _What the hell_?" Using his free hand, Kioshi shoved it in the monster's face. "LET GO!"

A burst of light from the center of his palm blinded both of them as Kioshi was finally freed and the furious centipede was flung in another direction.

_"Wretched boy! I will have the Jewel!"_

Those were the last words he heard before he continued his descent.

"WHOAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Then Kioshi fell down and down until he couldn't see or hear a thing, until-

"Ow!" He hit the bottom fairly hard.

Wincing, he rubbed his head before looking up at his surroundings. He was all the way at the bottom of the well, but it was weird because he couldn't see the enclosure of the shrine from where he stood. There wasn't a roof above his head because there was...sunlight?

"I've gotta get out of here," Kioshi muttered. "Hey, Saya? Tsuru? Anyone up there?" No answer. "Damn," he swore under his breath. He turned to the vines that were growing up the sides of the well. "Strange, never seen those before," He put one of his feet on a thick knot and hand over hand started to climb.

"That kid," Kioshi grumbled. "Looks like she ran away." He was finally at the top of the well now, and he was able to pull his way over the top and get out. "Huh?"

He pulled himself onto the ledge.

"Wait, what?!" He was in the middle of beautiful sunny greenery, lush with flowers, trees and long grass. "Obviously not the shrine. OK, so I'm...I'm dreaming. Ha, ha, this is so...stupid." He smacked his head with his hand and nearly made himself fall backwards back into the well. "Whoa-!" He managed to catch himself just in time. "Whew, that was close." Kioshi closed his eyes and sighed. This all felt much too realistic.

OK, so maybe it wasn't a dream.

"Right, Kioshi. Enough with the theatrics. Time to find out where we are. I bet I'll be out of here in no time! I'm just that good!" He punched a fist into the sky. "Yeah!"

Silence.

"OK, now that's over with…" He put his fist down, immediately feeling foolish.

Kioshi walked into the forest, making his way through the tall, leafy trees.

"The shrine's gone...so's the temples. Hey, wait! Isn't that the Sacred Circle?" He ran up to the large encirclement of boulders, the same as the one that bordered the right hand side at the back of the restaurant. "Yes!" It was the same circle all right, right down to the Ancient Tree that was planted directly in front. He skirted around it excitedly. "Oh, God, thank you, at least one thing here's in the right-" He stopped.

"Oh."

_Apparently not _everything's_ in order here._

There was something pinned to the front of the Ancient Tree.

Or rather someone. Someone who was dangling by a strange net that had been pinned to its place by two long arrows. The thick overgrown roots of the tree had almost completely ensnared the person, trapping them even further to the front of the tree.

"Hey, is that a...girl?"

She was no older than his age at the most, wearing a short dark red kimono fastened by a thick black sash. Weird.

Another strange thing was that she appeared to look like no other girl he had ever seen either, with long silver hair tied in a loose ponytail with two long strands that were tucked into the ribbon keeping it in place. And...and she had-

_Are those...cat ears?_

_Someone sure likes to cosplay!_

He clambered onto one of the roots and walked up the girl, somehow managing to keep his balance. "Hey, can you hear me?" He tapped the side of her head. "Wake up."

He poked at one of the ears. "Um...are these real? Hello?" Kioshi grabbed an ear in his hand. "What?" They're not fake? Who, or what is she? Now officially weirded out, he let go and took a step back. "So-" He cleared his throat nervously. "So, yeah. Uh, nice talking to ya."

He took another step back.

"Well...I'm just gonna go now-"

Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. One arrow landed above his head. One hit near his arm, and the last stuck somewhere near his leg.

"AAH! What the hell?!"

A group of people had suddenly appeared before him, aiming weapons at him. "You there! Get away from that!"

The crowd swamped him as he stepped down and raised his hands in surrender.

"Take him to the village!"


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, where am I?"

Kioshi had two spears pointed at him as he was forced to kneel on the dusty ground.

"_Don't move_!"

_Don't really have much choice..._

All around him were huts and small buildings that looked like they were constructed from simple materials: wood logs and bamboo shoots.

People flocked around him as he sat still.

What was odd this time around was that all of the villagers looked...well, like they had started some unusual appearance trend.

All the guys had their hair up in funny little topknots and were wearing seriously old clothing. Centuries-old. The women and children were the same. The women wore their hair long and it seemed it was a traditional kimono party.

Whispers and muttering surrounded him.

"A boy!" "What strange clothes...a foreigner?" "Do you think he's a demon?" "With an appearance like that, he could be!" "Mother, I'm frightened!" "It's alright. He will be exorcised soon enough."

"Move aside for High Priest Hikari!" A call rang out, drowning out the crowd's murmurs.

An elderly man with an eye patch and a hunting bow strode up to him with no signs of fear. He wore a traditional priest's attire with dark blue hakama trousers and a white jacket with sode-kukuri, or cords through the sleeves.

"_Begone_, demon!" he commanded, and threw a handful of what appeared to be dust at him.

"Hey, hey, wait!" Kioshi held up his hands. "I'm no demon, I'm just a normal guy!" "Then why were you in the Forest of Nekokami?" The High Priest inquired. "He could be a spy from an enemy village." One of the villagers who was guarding him suggested. The Priest shook his head. "Only someone who was no more than a mere fool would want to invade such a poor village." He turned to study Kioshi further. "Hmm?" he muttered to himself. Yes, he could sense it. There was something quite different about this boy. Not demon, for certain, but a lingering sense of someone from long past…

"Let's see you then, boy," He reached forward and grasped Kioshi by the chin. "Hmm," he went again. Kioshi jerked his head back. "Remain calm, boy," Hikari demanded, and turned Kioshi's face to the side again.

Kioshi was getting annoyed by this point.

_What is going on here?_

"It's there," Hikari said in wonder, finally letting go of Kioshi's face. "But how, I do not know."

"_What_?"

A pot was hanging over a merry fire, boiling.

Hikari ladled some stew into a bowl and handed it to Kioshi. "Whoa, thanks!" Kioshi took it gratefully. He was starving. "Bear us no ill will, Kioshi," said the old priest as Kioshi began to eat. "For I now can tell you don't want to cause any trouble."

"You see," he continued. "Times now are worrying and there are many who would wish to do us great harm and bring war. Strangers especially are one such cause for distress."

"Guess I'm really not dreaming, then." said Kioshi. "At the very least, we're nowhere close to my world." "So you do come from another place then? I suspected as much." "Yes. I really should get back, but I have absolutely no idea where it is at the moment." he said worriedly.

_Oh, crap, I've probably missed about 3 exams by now…_

"Crap!" he exclaimed out loud. "Dad's gonna have a heart attack when he finds out I missed those! And everyone back home's going to freak out!"

_Oh, crap...oh, crap...screw all of this! I've gotta get out of here!_

While Kioshi was having a mental fit, Hikari was pondering, thinking back to a long time ago, to the last time he had seen his brother.

_"Brother Kichiro! Are you very ill?"_

_"Yes, Hikari…...I'm...afraid so."_

_"Big brother, you must take these herbs, or-or-or we'll find some healer someplace! Don't worry, you will most likely be cured by next spring-"_

_"Hikari, stop. You must...listen...to me. You know the Jewel….I have been…...guarding? Bring it...to me."_

_The sound of footsteps._

_"Here it is, brother."_

_"Thank you, Hikari. Now, listen…well. This power cannot...be allowed to fall...into enemy...hands. Take the Jewel, Hikari, and...burn it...with my body...when I am...gone."_

_"But, brother Kichiro-"_

_"Promise me! This has...to be...done, Hikari. Promise me you will!"_

_"I-I promise."_

_"Good. Now…...I can…...rest-"_

_"Brother Kichiro? Brother Kichiro! No!"_

_It has already been nearly fifty years since that time._

Hikari thought to himself.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash.

"What is going on?" Hikari poked his head out of the bamboo sheet covering the entrance of his house. "What?" Kioshi ran out too and gasped.

It was the same monster centipede as before, with the horrible flailing limbs and huge insectoid body. "AAAAAAAAAH!" Villagers screamed and shouted as the centipede smashed its way through another building. The monster reared up. In its mouth, it carried the huge body of a dead horse. "_Sssssssss,_" it hissed out. Some of the villagers were taking up arms, wielding bows, quivers and arrows. "FIRE!" They barely managed to get one shot through before the insectoid swept them aside with its tail, sending them all flying.

The monster reared up suddenly again, dropping its prey as it caught sight of Kioshi and the old priest. The horse's body hit the ground in front of them with a resounding THUD.

"Seriously, what is that? Is that one of those demons you mentioned?"

"Aye, boy!"

_"Give me the Sacred Jewel!"_ it spat, curling its mouth into a terrifying grin.

It flew at them. Kioshi and Hikari dived aside as it whooshed past, just barely missing them.

"It said 'Sacred Jewel," said Hikari, looking shocked. He turned to Kioshi. "You _still_ have it?!"

"I-What...I don't know what you're talking about!" Kioshi stammered. "You mean the Legendary Jewel? From the old story? But-"

"FIRE!" This time, some more of the villagers' arrows pierced the monster.

"_I will have the Sacred Jewel!_" The demon spun itself into a rampaging torpedo, blasting villagers here and there off their feet.

_But then...it's after me! I've got to get it away from here!_

"Spears, arrows, nothing works!" One of the villagers yelled. "We must lure it back to the well," said Hikari. "The well?" "In the Forest of Nekokami," Hikari turned to Kioshi.

_The Forest? The well I climbed out of, it must be!_

_It's got to be over there, where that light is! Got it!_

"Hey, Bulge-Eyes!" he yelled. The demon turned to him, snarling. "Over here, slow-ass!"

He turned and started to run for it, heading towards the forest. The monster hissed in fury and started flying in pursuit. Great. Now he was going to get killed.

"Kioshi, wait!" He didn't turn around. _Run, run, run!_

He leaped into a stream filled with water. Sprinting across, he could hear the monster close behind as he continued to run towards the forest.


	5. Chapter 5

"He can see what cannot be seen in the Forest of Nekokami," said Hikari in amazement.

"Priest Hikari!" Hikari turned. The villagers mounted their horses with their weapons and started to ride. The priest mounted his own horse, fully armed and got ready to go as well.

Meanwhile, Kioshi was still running for his life.

He was racing down a dirt path that was somehow intersected into the river, cutting it into two halves.

_Oh, geez, what have I gotten myself into?_

_But it can't be helped. I can't stand by and just let it destroy the village!_

_But some help would _really _be appreciated right now!_

"RRAAAHH!" The monster was getting closer, right at his heels.

_HELP, SOMEONE!_

"_RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!_"

Deep within the heart of the forest, the roar was heard by one person.

_THUMP. _

The strange girl Kioshi had encountered earlier that day let out another pulse of demonic energy.

_THUMP._

One of the arrows holding up the net crumbled into dust.

_THUMP._

Wind lifted the ends of her hair, letting the soft breeze blow across her face.

One hand that rested by her side was still. Then, a heartbeat later, it twitched.

Then, for the first time in nearly half a century, it _moved_.

And out it sprang claws.

The cat girl stirred for the first time in many years, slowly drawing her hand up to her face.

"I smell it," she finally spoke aloud.

She smiled, but the expression didn't contain a single bit of warmth.

This was a cold smile, one of a triumphant predator.

"The blood of the man who _slayed_ me."

"It's coming closer." She reached down to grab the last arrow that was still holding her in place. "_What_?" she said in shock, looking closer. The arrow was actually imbedded through her shoulder, piercing her skin and trapping her to the tree.

She had not recalled being _hit_ by the actual arrow, only falling asleep…

Wait, she had no time to be remembering where she had been shot or whatever!

She needed to escape.

The cat girl reached down once again, but the arrow wouldn't budge. "Ah!"

It let out a strange pulse, like one of spiritual energy.

She couldn't get free.

_No!_

"_Give me the Jewel!"_

"I don't have it!"

"_GIVE IT TO MEEEEEE!_"

"JUST SHUT UP, ALREADY!"

Kioshi was now racing up the hill, trying to get a firm hold on the thick grass with his shoes.

He had just reached the top of the ravine and was charging into the trees, when-

BOOM.

The demon's tail smashed the spot where Kioshi had been moments before.

The force was so great, it sent him flying through the air "WHOA!", and skidding across the ground on his back. "Ow," he groaned.

_Remind me to start taking more acrobatics…_

He thought he was alone at first (well, except for the freaking monster that was currently attempting to kill him) and was shocked when he heard the sudden voice.

"Hello, _Kichiro_."

Kioshi sat up and turned.

"Not having too much trouble, are we?"

The voice was taunting. It was coming from the apparently-not-dead cat girl he had "met" earlier. She looked down at him from the tree, glowering.

She had mesmerizing eyes, a deep amber-gold color that reminded him of fire.

_What? She's awake?_

"You! You're alive?"

"What's wrong, then?" she continued to taunt, ignoring his previous question. "Getting too _slow_ to handle a mere insect? Just slay it, like you did me!"

As Kioshi looked on in confusion, she gave him a long stare.

_Hold on, he looks...different, somehow._

"You're looking kind of stupid there at the moment, Kichiro. The Kichiro _I_ know wouldn't be wasting his time."

"That's _enough_." Kioshi got to his feet, clenching his hand into a fist.

He glared back at the cat girl. Whoever she was, she had no right to go start insulting him when he was in the middle of trying not to die.

_Who does she think she is?_

He got right up to her face.

"Right, whoever this _Kichiro_ person is, he's not me, OK? And I'm actually called-"

"It's here." she interrupted, looking behind him grimly.

The centipede swooped down from the branches of the Ancient Tree, rushing instantly at Kioshi. "Hhh!" he gasped, ducking as it passed over his head.

It turned in mid-air and was just about to get him when two spears skewered its side.

"PULL!"

Kioshi spun around to see all the villagers tugging hard on the rope lines attached to the skewers.

More spears were thrown like giant anchors and latched on to the demon's hide. For the moment, the villagers seemed to be winning, as they pulled with all their combined strength. The creature hissed as the spears tugged at its skin.

Kioshi let out a small sigh.

"Just in time." he breathed in relief.

"You're useless, Kichiro!"

The annoying cat girl snapped at him.

"For the last time, I'm NOT Kichiro! My name's Kioshi!"

He walked up to her again, clambering onto the same thick root he had climbed earlier.

He got face to face with her, refusing to look away. Her strange eyes burned into his.

"I am not Kichiro, alright? I'm called Kioshi. Got it? KIOSHI. So why don't you explain who this Kichiro person is anyway?"

"It is _you_! It has to be, it _must_ be you, or it-huh?"

She sniffed the air. Once. Twice. Then gave him a confused look.

"You're-you're not him," she said, seemingly in shock.

Kioshi glared at her, but now there was triumph in that expression as well.

She suddenly didn't look quite as intimidating as before, more so confused and now guilty now that her powerful argument had been lost.

"I noticed. Do you usually give people a hard time if you can't recognize who they are? Or do you just mistake every guy who happens to pass here to be your buddy?"

"You know what?" she fired back, getting irritated now. "You're right. Kichiro was cuter. Much, much cuter." The last few words she muttered to herself.

_What in the-_

Taloned hands grabbed him from behind.

"YAH!" he yelled. The monster was back! He grabbed onto the closest thing possible to him, and held on for dear life.

"OW, OW, OW! LET GO!"

He had latched onto the long ponytail of the cat-girl, as it had curled around her shoulder.

"_You're mine!_" The monster hissed in triumph.

Kioshi aimed a kick at it from behind him. The monster hissed again, this time in pain, but wouldn't let go.

"Nekokami has been revived!" called one of the villagers on horseback.

Hikari looked on in confoundment.

_How can this be? What about my brother's spell? It should have held forever!_

Kioshi aimed one, two, three kicks behind him, each a carefully-aimed blow. The monster howled in pain and finally let go, almost tearing Kioshi's arms.

It reared back again, ready to make another strike.

"I SAID, GO!" He held out a palm at the monster, trying to shield himself.

Another burst of light came from his hand, and blasted the monster away with its brightness.

Kioshi fell safely to the ground, clutching his shoulder, which had been injured when the monster had ripped its claws from his arms.

He looked up and saw several of the monster's disembodied arms scattered on the ground.

"Ouch," he muttered.

_It's like before, but how did I do that? _

He studied his hand, the one that had shot out the light.

_What is this?_

"Huh?" he looked down at his side.

"Whoa, _why_ is there a pink light inside of me?!"

_Is that the power?_

He barely had time to shield himself before the monster slammed into him, buried its fangs deep inside of his side and flung him like a rag doll into the air.

Kioshi cried out as the fangs were ripped from his body, leaving a thick trail of blood splattering through the air.

And...there was something else there too.

A small orb, no larger than a big marble at the most, soared through the air.

That _was inside of me? But how?!_


End file.
